Solivagency - Empires SMP

VIII

After an incredibly stressful day of organising trade with Pearl, Katherine and Shelby, the latter two having had arrived at the Matral Palace both three hours later and covered in rain, Joel was all but ready to fall over and collapse.

But. No.

Pearl had decided to attend the 'how should we kill Xornoth in a way that totally doesn't violate our fucked up by laws :3' discussion and was now staying.

Overnight.

This was very annoying. A) because it had not been planned, B) because he couldn't chill with his demon sibling in law, C) because Pearl had a habit of trying to decapitate said demon sibling law.

So.

Not Fun.

Joel groaned to himself as one of his dogs - Meri - trotted up to him and barked. He rubbed her head and let her clamber onto his lap, fluffivating his jacket. He didn't mind though. Meri was very cute, with an adorable face that booped into his view and begged for cheese he couldn't deny giving to her.

She wagged her tail and nuzzled his chest, rolling over. It was adorable, especially with how fluffy she was, and she helped to calm Joel down. But an irritation still scratched at the back of his head - especially when he had no idea how he was supposed to interact with Pearl in a non-suspicious way.

But then again, he really did feel bad about leaving Xornoth alone for an entire day. Maybe he could quickly slide in and chat with them now?

Joel craned his neck so it peaked past the corner and saw Pearl and Lizzie discussing some... politics yada yada. Both of their backs were turned away from him. Bingo.

Picking up Meri (for she was obviously man's best friend), he started to slowly walk down the hallway, feet padding along the mosaic floor. For some reason, he couldn't distract himself from the nerves occupying his chest. "Don't be suspicious... don't be suspicious... don't suspicious..." Joel muttered under his breath. "I'm not being suspicious, right Meri?" At her woof, he nodded. "You're right, I'm the sneakiest boy alive."

Lizzie would probably disagree, but Lizzie wasn't there to tell him that.

He finally made his way to the guest rooms, and after pausing for a moment to shift Meri onto his other arm and close the open window letting in a shower of rain, he opened the door to Xornoth's room

They looked up at him, hand poised as if to turn the next page of the book on their lap. With a quick observation, Joel noticed it wasn't one of the plant books - those had been neatly stacked onto the little table, each carefully closed with no folded pages (something he personally couldn't do; all of his books had their covers bent in weird angles before long) - but one of the books that had previously been on the shelf. Some kind of Mythland play script, no doubt.

"Hello!" Joel greeted cheerfully, Meri curiously tilting her head. She yapped and scrambled out of his arms, rolling onto the bed and yapping at Xornoth. They blinked in a little surprise before the dog bolted at them and started trying to lick their face.

Their posture shifted as if expecting to be attacked, arms raised in front of their face, curling up to make themselves smaller. Joel's eyes widened and he hurriedly grabbed Meri and moved her to the opposite side of the room, but Xornoth still remained in a little ball, shaking and trying to shield their head.

"Meri, stay." He told the dog. She whined a little, but Joel was more concerned with the elf on the bed, cowering in terror.

"Hey." Xornoth flinched slightly as he spoke, and he privately swore at himself for being so loud. Joel softened his voice, moving towards them very slowly. "Are you okay?"